The "big fish" from the teacher's perspective: A closer look at reference group effects on teacher judgments.

Autor/inn/en	Bergold, Sebastian; Weidinger, Anne F.; Steinmayr, Ricarda
Titel	The "big fish" from the teacher's perspective: A closer look at reference group effects on teacher judgments. Gefälligkeitsübersetzung: Der "große Fisch" aus der Sicht des Lehrers: Ein genauerer Blick auf die Auswirkungen von Referenzgruppen auf die Beurteilung von Lehrern.
Quelle	In: Journal of educational psychology, 114 (2022) 3, S. 656-680Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Link als defekt meldenVerfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	online; gedruckt; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0022-0663; 1939-2176
DOI	10.1037/edu0000559
Schlagwörter	Bezugsgruppe; Einstellung (Psy); Erwartung; Kognitive Kompetenz; Erwartung; Schüler; Bezugssystem; Leistung; Leseverstehen; Bezugsgruppe; Kognitive Kompetenz; Schülerin; Schüler; Schülerin; Leseverstehen; Mathematische Kompetenz; Bezugssystem; Leistung; Lehrender
Abstract	Teacher judgments impact on students' academic development, yet studies have revealed only modest judgment accuracy. Identifying biases hampering judgment accuracy is crucial. The present study scrutinized one such bias, namely reference group effects on teacher judgments (i.e., systematic relations between class-average ability and teacher judgments of individual students' abilities). The study investigated both direction and size of reference group effects on teacher ratings of students' reading comprehension, mathematical ability, and cognitive ability; grades in German (mother tongue) and math; and tracking recommendation for secondary schooling. Teachers' professional experience and acquaintance with the class were examined as moderators of reference group effects. Data from N = 837 fourth graders (M-age = 9.14, SD = 0.54) and their N = 56 class teachers were analyzed. Multilevel structural equation models revealed negative reference group (contrast) effects on teacher ratings of mathematical ability (beta = -.90), reading comprehension (-.62), cognitive ability (-.42), and on math grade (-.61). Contrast effects were weak for grade in German (-.13) and tracking recommendation (.01 (= beta (= -.28). For reading comprehension, cognitive ability, and grade in German, teacher's acquaintance with the class significantly moderated the reference group effects: Contrast effects emerged only in teachers who had taught their students for at least 3 years. For teachers who had taught their students for about 1.5 years or less, assimilation effects occurred (i.e., a positive relation between class-average ability and individual student assessment). Implications of the findings and approaches to intervention are discussed. Educational Impact and Implications Statement Teacher judgments are of major importance for students' academic and motivational development. This study investigated the role of class-average academic abilities for elementary school teachers' ratings of individual students' academic abilities, grades, and tracking recommendation for secondary schooling. The higher class-average ability, the less favorable were the teacher judgments of the individual students, and vice versa. This was especially the case for the teacher ratings of students' academic abilities. Effects on grades, at least on math grade, were also notable, whereas they were weak for grade in German and tracking recommendation. Effects tended to be stronger for teachers with longer acquaintance with their class. Teachers with shorter acquaintance, by contrast, tended to assimilate their individual judgments to the class-average abilities. Social reference group effects can lead to injustice decisions in students' school careers and beyond, because of inaccurate teacher judgments. The present study can serve as a starting point for understanding and reducing reference group effects on teacher judgments. (ZPID).
Erfasst von	Leibniz-Institut für Psychologie, Trier
Update	2023/1